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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. H. GORDON.

SYSTEM OP ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

Patented Deo.21,1886.

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(No Model.) v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. I

J. EH. GORDON.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

No. 354,783. Patented 1360.21, 1886.

NEE.

Wnaes es n UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES E. H. GORDON OF 28. COLLIN GIIAM PLACE, KENSINGTON, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

SYSTEM OF ELECTRIC LIGHTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 354.783, dated December 21, 1886.

Application filed August 23, 1880. Serial No. 211,685. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, JAMns EDWARD HENRY GORDON,a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at 28 Gollingham Place, Kensington, in the county of Middlesex, England, electrical engineer, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Lighting, of which the following is a specification. c

My invention relates to an improved system of electric lighting designed to insure safety in working, and to prevent any portion of the district lighted from being in darkness if a dynamo or main breaks` down. For thispurpose I use two sets of mains throughout the system, not using twice the necessary quantity of copper, but instead of one wire of a certain section using two of half that section. These wires are so arranged that in each room,build ing, or street half the lamps are on one system and half on another, so that if any interruption occurs in the supply in either system only every alternate light is extinguished,and no single room, building, or street is placed in darkness. In connection with these mains I preferably use three dynamos, two of which are generally at work and one in reserve. The reserve machine is generally kept slowly revolving, so as to be ready in an emergency. The two working-machines are connected the one to one system of mains, the other to the other. The connections may be made by means of a' switch-board, such that any machine can be connected to either circuit, or that both circuits can be connected to one machine. This latter arrangement maybe used in the daytime, or at any other time when not much light is wanted, and when a momentary extinction would not be serious. In small bedrooms and other places where only one light is paid for, but where it is desired to have the beneiit 0f the duplicate-main. system,two lamps are erected7 one on each circuit, and a switch is provided,such that the occupant ofthe room can light either lamp at will, but not both at once. In case of the working lamp going out he has only to put the switch-handle over to light the other. To facilitate this the switch may be painted with luminous paint, so that it can be seen in the dark.

Figure I is a diagram view of the arrange- 5o ment above described. Fig. 2 is a face view of a portion `of one of the switchboards on a larger scale; and Fig. 3 is a view illustrating a switch arrangement whereby the lamp in either main may be lighted, but not both at once.

A B C are three alternate-current dynamos, each driven by its own engine. i

A B C are three small continuous-current dynamos, each also driven by its own engine 6o and used for giving current for exciting the magnets of the dynamos A B C, each dynamo A B O having its own separate exciter. One terminal of each dynamo A B C, I couple to one or other of three parallel bars,D E F. The 6 5 other terminal oi' each dynamo I couple to other corresponding parallel bars, DX EX FX.

G H are two bars at right angles to the bars D E F, one ata short distance from one of the ends of these bars and the other at a short 7o distance from the other ends. GX HX are similar bars correspondingly placed in juxtaposition with the bars DX llX FX.

G are brushes of copper Awires or strips by which any one or other oi' the bars D E F can be electrically coupled to the bar G, and H are brushes by which any one or other of the bars D E F can be electrically coupled to the bar H. The brushes are carried by axes at their center, which are iitted with handles 8o which are inserted in the sockets R It, (shown in Fig. 2,) by which they can be turned into position either to make or not to make contact between the bars. The bars G GX are connected by other contact-brushes, IX, with a 8 5 number of blocks, I, and the bars H HX with blocksJ by brushes J X.

For each subdivision of the district to be lighted a wire is led from one of the blocks I and another from one of the blocks J. Pref- 9o erably I connect each, as shown in Fig. l, to one of the metallic arcs K K, carried by a wheel forming part kof a regulating apparatus,` such as is described in an application for patent made for me on the 21st day of August, 95 1886, No. 211,529.kk Similarly other conductors are led to the other metallic arc of each wheel from blocks coupled to the bars GX HX.

The blocks I J, coupled by brushes with the bars G GX and H HX, are useful to facilitate the testing of the several mains one by one, whenever required. Divided mains L L-such as are described in the application above mentionedare led off from the wheel to the distributing-center M, at a point within the district to be lighted.

N is a plan of a building showing various lamps, P P, dre., connected to the two circuits respectively, those in one circuit being shown shaded, those in the other unshaded. The negative cables are not shown.

In Fig. I the bar D, forming a terminal 0f one dynamo, A, is shown to be coupled to the bar G, and so serves to light one half of the lamps throughout the lighted district. The bar E, forming a terminal of the dynamo B, is shown to be coupled to the other bar, H, and so serves to light the other half of the lamps in the district.

The third dynamo, G,is out of use, and is usually kept turning slowly, doing no work, but ready to be at once started full speed if its services are required. Corresponding brushes are used for connecting the bars DX EX FX with the bars GX HX.

In Fig. 2, which gives detail of a portion of the switch-board, the same letters refer to the same parts as in Fig. l.

Vhen a change is to be made and, say, the dynamo A is to be put out of action and the dynamo C substituted for it, the speed at which the dynamo C is driven is increased until it has attained its normal rate. The excitingdynanio C' is also run at an increased speed until its current equals in strength the current from the exciting-dynamo A of the dynamo A. Then at a given signal the brush coupling D with G is turned into a position not to couple these bars, while the brush G', o'pposite the end of the bar F, is turned into a position to couple that bar with G. Similar changes are made with DX EX FX and GX HX. One man stands ready at each brush, and at a given signal-say the sounding of awhistlehe gives the necessary movement to the brush he has to turn. In this way an instantaneous change is effected from one dynamo to the other, and a momentary flicker only of the light will be observed. Any other changes which may be required are made in the same way.

S T are two block in juxtaposition with the blocks G and H. They are coupled to one terminal of each exciting-dynamo A B C. Similarly there are other blocks, SX TX, in juxtaposition with the blocks GX and HX, and these are coupled to the other poles of the excitingdynamos. The blocks S T and SX TX can be coupled by brushes to the blocks G H GX HX, and any one or more of the eXciting-,dynamos then used for keeping up suiiieient current for lighting the few lamps which may be in use during the day-time in bright weather, so that it is unnecessary to keep either of the dynamos A, B, or C in action.

Fig. 8 illustrates an arrangement in which a switch, V, may be moved to the right or left, so as to light a lamp, I), in one or the other of the mains L, but not in both of them.

lv c are contacts between which the insulated switch-arm V may be thrust, so as to complete a circuit through either lamp. The details of construction ot' this organization are entirely immaterial, this particular feature of the invention being the use of two independent mains, a lamp or lamps connected in the main, and a switch for lighting either of the lamps, but not both.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. In a system of electric lighting, the combination of three dynamos with two sets of mains, the two sets of mains carrying alternate lamps throughout the system, and with means for connecting one dynamo to each set of mains, keeping a third in reserve, and for connecting both sets of mains to any one or other of the dynamos, as required.

2. The combination of three dynamos, three independent contacts, D E F, to each of which one terminal of a dynamo is connected, contact bars G H, electrically connecting or switch devices located between the three contacts and the contact-bars, whereby the bars may be electrically connected with the contacts, and two electric mains, one connected to the bar G and the other to the bar H, and extending to the district to be lighted, for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of three dynamos, three contacts, D E F, the contacts or bars G H, connecting switches G H,interposed between the contacts and the bars G H, other contacts, I J, switches or brushes IX, for electrically connecting the contact-bar G and the contacts I, and other switches, JX, for electrically connecting the contact-bar H and the contacts J, and independent electric distributing-mains connected with one or more of the contacts I J.

4. The combination of two independent distributing-mains which accompany each other through the district to be lighted, a light or lights connected in each main, the lights in the two mains being in such proximity that either main may be used to light the same territory, and switch devices whereby said light or lights in either main may be lighted upon the failure of the light or lights in the other main, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

5. The combination of two independent mains connected each with an independent source of electric energy and extending through the same building or district to be lighted, electric lamps in each main, located in such proximity that the same territory may be IOO IIO

switch devices located at the same point, whereby either of said lights may be lighted, 1o but not both, forthe purpose set'forth.

' J. E. H. GORDON.

Witnesses:

WALTER J. SKEETEN, HERBERT C. DALE,

Both of 17 Gracechmch St., London. 

